I'm not sure if this was mentioned, but we all know that Aberforth did something to a goat (what was it again?), or was it that he smells like a goat (or just his bar)? We also know that a bezoar comes out of a goats stomach. Is that hinting at something? Was he trying to get a bezoar? Does he stockpile bezoars in his tavern? Is it just coincidence?

I thought of a theory (I was about to post this in another thread but decided to make it a thread by itself), in which Aberforth knew something was going to happen (just not at which time) and may have decided to keep some bezoars for safe keeping. Perhaps he knew something was going to happen to his brother? His brother told him to keep them for future use (for Harry or someone else)?

If he does have bezoars, does anyone think he would feel guilty knowing that he was in Hogsmeade the night he died and he could have healed him on the spot (bezoar cures most poisons)?

Or it could be that at some point he needed a bezoar and tried to get one out of a goat...and somebody thought he was doing something else...

This may be a little far-fetched, but is there anyone who would like to add something?

This is a really good theory, but I think that Rowling even said that she didn't know what Aberforth was doing with the goats. I'll have to look that bit up again, but I dunno. I'm pretty sure he's just an eccentric man like DD. Plus the fact that he's a bartender probably means that he's gotten drunk at one time or another, and that he did all the "goat stuff" when he was drunk. I'll check it out though!

Hmmm... good point on this one, El Barto. I never made the goat-bezoar-Aberforth connection. I would say it's entirely possible. I know the book said that he was in trouble for doing something illegal with a goat, but maybe it was just illegal because he was doing it underaged, and outside of school? That would make sense, wouldn't it?

I also like your theory that he was trying to get a bezoar from a goat, and someone saw him, and thought he was just doing something else (i.e. cutting open the goat, sticking his hand down the goat's throat, etc.)

That would bring us to other theories... Like, if he was attempting to get the bezoar to help someone, then that would mean he's a good guy, right? Going to those immediate lengths to save someone? Hmm... maybe he is even more like Dumbledore than we thought .

I don't remember getting a bezoar being illegal; is it? And it was said that Aberforth was arrested for using inappropriate spells on a goat, or something to that extent. It could very well have been something else he was trying to do..

Wow! I think that even if he was throwing spell to the goat, I'm sure he would have took the bezoard and confirm my old theory, that he's RAB. He would surely keep it in case, for an important moment, but the question we must ask is for what type of event...

Actually, I was saying that if he got it by magical means while he was under age (which I would assume they normally do rather than brutally kill a goat for no reason), then he would have been practicing magic outside of school illegally.

Other than that, I'm sure it is... well... not ok to kill a goat in public... but, who knows?

This is from hp lexicon:



Maybe it was something similar to what happened to Harry...where Harry knew Voldemort was back but nobody believed him...or wanted to. But with Aberforth it was something else, and that is why he didn't let those comments in the Daily Prophet faze him (Albus, as it says in the quote, used him as an example to ignore public redicule). If he can't read, then I assume he can't read...which would mean he isn't RAB (I do like the theory though, and I support it, among others), unless he got someone else to write it (such as a house elf...but maybe we should keep this to the RAB thread...Rogueisgood, do you want to bring it up in there?)

LilyPotter, could be. But just the phrasing, prosecuted for practicing "inappropriate charms on a goat".. He wasn't arrested for underage sorcery, but for "inappropriate charms." Just seems like age wasn't the issue here, IMHO.

Bezoars are perfectly legal. I looked up Aberforth's crimes. He was prosecuted for practicing inappropriate charms on a goat. (Although apparently not convicted) Anyhow, I don't see the goat as being that important. It would have been a recurring topic (like cats...JK mentions them a lot).

I disagree that Aberforth was getting bezoars. He might have been some kind of a mad scientist and was freak experiments but Albus with his influence got him throught. I can say this because Albus could have easily said "Harry..take me to Hogs Head.." instead of saying "Need..Severus..". But one can always argue back that seeing that Hogwarts was in danger he decided that taking the bezoar will put him into a sleep state [remember what happened to ron after harry shoved the bezoar] so he decided to go to Hogwarts and ask Snape for a potion that will cure him in a instant.

sorry but who is aberforth?
is he dd's brither or something? when was he caught doing something with a goat? when was all this even mentioned?

sorry but i haven't read the books for ages becasue im moving house but i have to say i do like your theories people!

Aberforth would infact me Professor Dumbledores brother. I dont know when exactly the bezoars and the goats were mentioned, I just remember reading it somewhere.

Yeah, it is mentioned in one of the earlier books. I'm not sure exactly where, though. The quote is higher up in the thread.

On the topic, I was thinking, like you, that it had something to do with a bezor, but then I remembered that it said "inappropriate charms" on a goat. We have already said that bezors aren't illegal, so it had to be something else. Perhaps it was just a "cruelty to animals" type charm?

Fish

I think it's possible that the goat could be of importance, but i think JKR just used the practising charms on a goat to help give clues to identify Aberforth being the Hogs Head bartender. When she says that the bar smelled of goats, that helps the reader make the connection between the time Aberforth was mentioned and the bartender.

Actually, I see it as the other way around. From what I know of Jo, I wouldn't be surprised if it was simply a joke that she threw in, then later, when introducing Aberforth as the bartender, she added that as a hint about who he was. Not that she added the previous point to reference this later, but that she threw this latter part in after having already added that earlier point.

Fish

yeah i agree...thats kidna what i was trying to say except for the part about her making it a joke...it doesnt have ne more importance except for hinting towards Aberforth

I don't think it meant anymore that a joke, pointing out that DDs brother is nothing like him. Especially when DD says he's not sure his brother can even read.

However, I like the bazoar thing. Perhaps he was trying to charm the goat into producing more bazoars, kinda like a laying chicken, for profit.

sorry i'm a little lost, can someone tell me which book this ios mentioned in?

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thats a very good point.
By the way some people are implying what he may in fact of been doing with a goat. I just want to say remember JK is writing for all the family i dont really think shed put that in. Thats if ive got the implications right if i havent then sorry
Anyway really good theroy had never thought of it myself

So it is confirmed for sure that Aberforth is the bartender? Or is it just speculation?

Becuase what if this bezoar theory was true and it turned out DD brother did have them... and it turned out SNAPE was DD brother! Kinda farfetched but woowee what a twist it could be!

I think there is something to this bezoar thing. Aberforth consorts with seedy folks. Bezoars are very valuable. I could see him looking to make a buck by grabbing up a few of them from goats. I could even see that being his side business.

Flash of insight.

When you do not wish for someone to look deeper at something or someone, what do you do? Well, you call attention away from it or them. Right?

So, DD says he is not even sure Aberforth can read. Odd statement, he runs a pub, he can read. He runs a pub, he can organize. He is DD's lookout, he is trustworthy. To say something so obviously incorrect is to distract the looker from looking at the object closer.

Such a flippant remark from DD would turn anyone inquisitive off looking deeper.

Thus, I conclude DD's remark was a smoke screen for Aberforth.

It worked, it turned me away from looking at him. I figured if DD thought that of him 1) if he wasn't noteworthy for DD he isn't for me, 2) it was just a comic aside comment and not noteworthy.

Good point Sirren. Understated or casually mentioned things in these books always seem to come back with an important role.


Cris

When I read Albus commenting on his brother's potential inability to even read, the only thing that come to mind was how did one brother become so brilliant and the other so ordinary? And I read on, without any follow-up. Which, I now see, is precisely what JKR may have wished her gentle readers to do.

Aberforth may not be the brilliant wizard his brother is, neither is he dim-witted, most likely quite the opposite.

I think that comment was in fact subterfuge. I've felt since the second read through that Aberforth is definitely an important asset to DD; actually since first time through HBP and the strange role the Hog's Head might have struck me.....

Albus is 150....chances are DD knows whether or not the man is literate. That's a lot of time to never share a newspaper together.

I think you're right--that he said it for comic effect and that it was diversionary. Harry knowing too soon who Aberforth was would blow an important cover and might strike up Harry's curiosity in a manner that could get in the way.

I never saw anything about a goat...where was this in the books?

I fully support the idea that Rowling threw in a 'can't read' joke to her readers to distract them from being interested in a possibly important character. well, probably important, since she is using Dubledore's opinions on his dear brother as a smokescreen.

The relation that Hogs Head smelled like goats... where in the world did you read that? I really must have missed that cause I would have laughed....Could somone please help?

The official charge was "innapropriate charms on a goat" but i really like the idea of the bezoar. To put a charm on it to make it produce three bezoars instead of one... well, i guess that would be innapropriate... ...And the great theory that he sold them to occasional customers (aka Mundungus) to make a side profit... that's bloory brilliant!

-parry otter

I was about to go searching through all the books trying to find the specific information you guys want, but I googled it instead:



And another quote:



Apparently the site I googled had the same idea we did. Maybe you can find more information on the theory here.

I'm never thought of that theory!